Cancel-out the Noise

A behind the scenes look at the life of Dixon Leavitt. Following a suggestion from my dad to not hold back my opinions so much (obviously he was being sarcastic), I want to archive what is happening in my own life for others to follow if they so please.

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Wednesday was the final episode of my beloved Scrubs. For the last eight years, I have gone through the up's and down's of each Sacred Heart employee. There has been laughing and crying, but it was always entertaining. Alec and I confessed our mutual "guy love" before "bromances" became cool.

Guy Love

I was very anxious for the finale, to find out if I would be satisfied. This is a show I watch the reruns of multiple times per day, so I know the in's and out's of the whole series. The first 10 minutes was great, but for about the next 15 I was scared that it wasnt going to live up to my expectations. The last 10 minutes were the best in Television history. I hope I can find a youtube clip of it all. I couldnt stop smiling once it was over because it could not have ended in a better way.

Even though I can't say these are my 10 favorite clips, I can say they are a few of my favs.

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Just a quick sports update.-I have decided to make a renewed dedication to my SF Giants. They have gone through a few down years, but I think this is the year it starts to change. With a tough pitching staff, they will win a few more games this year, and if the dogs pitching staff doesnt develop well, then I could see an outside chance at the NL West crown.

-Masters week may be higher than the first weekend of march madness on my favorite sports week list. I am always excited for it, but every year I watch the par 3 tourney and realize how special this tournament is. Remember, live coverage of amen corner and 15 & 16 can be found here, even when ESPN or CBS coverage has not started.

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Ok, it has been long enough. I really doubted my testimony of blogging, but my wife has helped me see that I should continue. Lets see if I can keep it up again.

Last night, my sports obsession paid off, literally. I am on a site called Wazzel where you pick the winners of games based on the betting lines. Instead of risking cash, you win and lose points with each pick. They say that in the future you will be able to cash in the points for prizes, like at an arcade. Over the past three weeks, I participated in a contest called Wazzel Madness. While most march madness contests consist of picking all the winners before the tournament starts, this one allows you to pick game by game, again based on the betting line. The amount of points possible to win increased by round, with the first round games worth 2000 points and the championship game worth 10000. Going into yesterdays game, I was winning by 6000 points, with only one other person in the running for a win, who was down by 18000. Since I was in first, I waited until late to make the pick, so no one could make their pick based on mine. Picking UNC at -7.5 wasnt very difficult, it was just hard picking period, knowing what was on the line. I didnt want to be like Tyler and screw up when the pressure was on!

Finally it was game time. After Carolina scored the first basket, the CBS feed went out. It was out on both cable and satellite, I dont know if it was just us or if it was the SLC affiliate, but I wasnt very happy. I was able to get the game online, so that saved a very stressful night. Honestly, the outcome was never really in doubt, but I pushed those thoughts out of my head throughout the game so there would be no jinx. Finally, with about 2 minutes left, I declared myself the winner and broke out the champagne. Actually, there was no champagne, but that would have been fun to spray all over the house. In the end, I won a $750 voucher for the ticket website RazorGator. I thought picking with the lead was tough, but deciding what sporting event I want to go to will be a huge challenge!

It is about time all the hours I have spent in front of the TV pays off. Let this be a lesson to you kids, hard work pays off.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

While we were eating In N Out on our way home from Mexico this past weekend, my brain was firing on all cylinders. It had been a while since I had experienced those feelings; in fact, it had been almost six years. Previously, it happened while I was having a slurpee in Virginia, which was a very disappointing slurpee experience. Now, I (with help from my wife) came up with a great explanation for In N Out.

While I was enjoying a fabulous burger and fries, for some odd reason it surprised me how good it tasted. It shouldnt have surprised me, as it was In N Out, but then I realized where my last few In N Out experiences had taken place...St. George Utah. I had gotten used to having In N Out in the first state that does not directly touch California. I likened it to the different ways of having Cold Soda, at least through my eyes. The principles apply the same depending on how you like your soda.

1. Iced MugThe Iced Mug experience only happens in California. That is the founding place of In N Out and embodies all that the restaurant stands for. When drinking soda out of an iced mug, it stays cold for a good amount of time and some of the gas can escape, flattening the soda. This is how I prefer my soda.

2. Can out of the middle of the coolerThe COOTMOTC experience happens in the states which touch California: Nevada and Arizona. As long as the soda is consumed quickly, it is still very cold and always has the best taste. It just doesnt have quite the same grandeur as the iced mug. The creative juices and lifestyle of California can seep into these states since they are touching each other.

3. Fountain Drink Full of IceThe FDFOI experience is still a great way to have soda, but it is my least favorite. There are many different factors that go into play, from the amount of syrup in the mixture, the amount of CO2 in the mixture, how cold the mixture is coming out of the fountain and how quickly the ice melts. While I can never turn down soda just because it is from the fountain, I prefer the other. The St. George location is still great, because it is In N Out, but now it has California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah variable to deal with.

In conclusion, there is no doubt that In N Out in California is the greatest way to consume the burger and fries, but the other locations cannot be ignored. I urge all who think they have experienced In N Out without partaking in California locations, to do so as soon as possible, as it is a life changing experience!

In sad news for Colts fans, Marvin Harrison was released by the team today. After breaking Jerry Rice and Steve Young's record for most TD connections, it was best to let him go. I am very interested to see where he ends up. Marvin has seen better days but is still a very capable possession receiver.

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Today marks the second anniversary of my return to the United States after a year and a half in Brazil. I have been thinking about all the things I miss about Sao Paulo.

-Pastels!-Tapioca (different from tapioca pudding)-People watering their concrete-Three tongue clicks-Dodging buses in Santo Amaro-Getting violated on buses during rush hour-The crazy music blaring on the streets in favelas-Cops driving around with their heads hanging out the window-Crazy motorcycles-No snow!-Guarana Kuat-Sao Paulinos-Corintianos-Favelas-Vielas-Random trees planted in the middle of the road-Cipo-Evening mist-Motorcycles getting hit by buses-Crazy evangelicals holding their bibles over their hearts-Crazy evangelicals taunting you during their services-Crazy evangelicals in general-Igreja Universal-Rice and Beans-Pao de Queijo-Parque Ibirapuera

There are so many more things that I know I am forgetting, but these are things I have remembered throughout the day.

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Who decided that people need more time to procrastinate the transition to digital tv? IMO those who havent switched over cant afford the $10 it takes, after the govt subsidy (understandable), or dont watch tv enough to care. I am willing to bet a lot of money that the latter make up the large majority, therefore, not be affected. When they turn their tv on and it doesnt get a signal, I am sure they will figure out what is wrong if they want to watch tv so bad. And the government wonders why people are so cynical towards them? There have been ads on tv for OVER A YEAR about this, but lets put it off until June, that should make a huge difference. How about you be an example of how to meet a deadline, instead of your usual excuses and delays?